# Legit cigar watering (long)



## Bird-Dog (Oct 16, 2009)

Some of you will remember about 8 or 10 years ago or so "watering cigars" was the topic _du jour_ on a lot of cigar forums, especially among guys who favor Cuban cigars (only one of the reasons I placed this in Habanos).

The claim was that holding your cigar under the faucet before you smoked it would make it taste better or burn cooler or more evenly or something (strange enough since some of the same people holding their cigar under the faucet would freak out if you suggested using tap-water in your humidor - go figure).

But, the fervor died down about as fast as it cropped up, never really proven, because... well... (I'm guessing) because you can only smoke a cigar once and there's enough variance from one to the next, especially with CC's, to never really be sure if watering truly had a positive effect, or any effect at all.

Fast forward a decade or so. I now have a legitimate argument in favor of watering... but for entirely different reasons and for specific situations. Here's the deal:

I'm a big fan of ring gauges in the low to mid 40's, especially Petit Coronas, and specifically Cubans. But they do tend to have tighter draws than I like more often than larger RG's do. Enter the Modus II Cigar Tool. (*full disclosure: I designed the Modus and own the company, but it's become popular enough to sell by the thousands year after year).

The draw tool on the Modus II is designed to open the draw and improve a cigar's "ventilation". It's not just poking holes, though. It's got a harpoon-like blade at the tip meant to pull material out and create air channels that don't close back up - preferably pulling stems, but some filler leaf if necessary too. And it works!

The problem is when you use it on a narrower gauge cigar that's already overfilled, and perhaps a Cuban stored at a little dryer RH, the extra pressure inside will sometimes pop the wrapper loose. So, okay, I have cigar glue and use it often to tack wrappers back down when this happens. Still, I'd rather avoid it than have to fix it.

So, I started playing with watering cigars I know I'm going to have to tune-up with the Modus. Wetting the cigar adds some elasticity to the wrapper making it more forgiving under that added pressure. 

Cigar leaves are sprayed with water during the curing and rolling process, among other reasons, to renew or improve elasticity. So it's logical that it works. And it does even years after the cigar's been rolled!

I don't hold it under the faucet, though. I use a spray bottle of distilled water I have on hand for recharging HF beads. It's handier and easier to control. But whatever method you use, you you need to cover the foot, and head too if it's already been clipped, with your finger(s) to keep the filler from getting soaked. Rub the water around the wrapper evenly; then give it a few minutes to soak in. And it'll soak up plenty.

I guarantee you'll be amazed! Other than being quite obviously more pliable, you'd never know it had been hit with a super-soaker. And you can work on it with your draw tool without as much risk of collateral damage.

But what about those other benefits touted so long ago? Better taste? Better burn? Meh, I still don't know. But, it sure doesn't hurt it any!

Cheers!


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## Bipolar (Jun 23, 2021)

I've never heard of watering a cigar, but I think I'll give it a try!


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## Rondo (Sep 9, 2015)

This makes sense. I’ve never had much luck with the barb and prefer my Modus I.


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## lex61 (Nov 18, 2016)

Thanks for sharing Jack. I’ve got a box of Mille Fleurs that will be great candidates for trying this.


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## Bird-Dog (Oct 16, 2009)

I used this trick with a 38 RG HdM Hoyo du Depute today. Yes, you read that right - *38 RG!* 

Managed to pull out a rather substantial stem (for this size cigar)... and nary a problem with the wrapper.










BTW, I smoked on this little 4-3/8" x 38 Hoyo for an hour-and-a-half! IDK if watering it had anything to do with that, but I don't remember one lasting this long before.


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## jmt8706 (Jul 19, 2019)

Well, instead of this being random theories being posted online, I know we can trust this because of who posted it, and there was an experiment as proof. My Modus 2 is still going strong. Thanks Jack.


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## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

I wet my cigars in the summer. But never thought to do it for stem extractions. Usually switch to my OG Modus for my 40 and lower. 

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